Cut-off-actuating mechanism.



No. 778,113. PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.-

' P.B.0LARKB. I

OUT-OFF AGTUAIIING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATIOH IILED JAN. 28, 1901.

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P. B. CLARKE 1 0,

'PATENTED" DEG-20, 1904.

1 B. CLARKE. GUT-OFF AGTUATING MECHANISM. j;

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1901.

5 SHEETS-SHEET N0 MODEL.

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APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 26, 1901.

10 MODEL.

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7/IIIIIIIIIIIIlIII/IIIIl/III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII No. 778,113. PATENTED DEC; 20, 1904. P.- B. CLARKE GUT-OFF AGTUATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1901. F0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 6 \fifigwm7 P. B. CLARKE 9 ments to a conveyer.

Patented December 20, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

PEETE B. CLARKE, on NEW YORK, NY.

.CUT-OFF-ACTUATING MECHANISM.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,113, dated December 20, 1904.

7 Application filed January 26, 1901- Serial No. 44,779

To all whom, zit may concern:

' Beit known that I, PEETE 'B. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Cut-Oif-Actuating Mechanism, of' which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in cutoff-actuating mechanism for controlling theflow of material from bins or compart- The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of mechanism for actuating sliding doors or cut-offs for controlling the flow of material from bins or com-- partments toa conveyer and to provide simple and efiicient means for enabling one or more sliding doors-or cut-offs to beopened and closed at the same time and to permit such operation to be performed at a point remote from the cut-offs with absolute certainty.

, line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

I illustrating the manner of-mounting the slid- The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of a bin or compartment of a barge provided with cut-offactuating mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same on Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detail sectional views ing doors or cut-offs. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of one of the horizontal bars which form the ways for the sliding doors or cutoffs. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the construction of the friction-clutch. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 1 and illustrating amodification of the invention.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawi gs- 2 designates a portion of a bin or compartment of a barge 1, and the said binor com partment 2 is provided at its bottom with a series of depending hoppers 4, having sliding doors or cut-offs 5, adapted to be opened to permit coal or other material to be discharged into buckets 6 of an endless conveyer 6. The endless conveyer 6 has one of its flights arranged beneath the depending hopper 4, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, and the sliding doors or cut-offs are adapted to be successively opened, whereby the strain on the conveyer incident to filling the buckets with coal or other material will be reduced to a minimum. The bin or com partment is spacedsufficiently from the bottom of the barge to provide the necessary room for the conveyer, and the sliding door or cut-off 5 is mounted in suitable ways, pref-. erably consisting of opposite horizontal bars 13, provided at intervals with bosses or enlargements 14, rounded at their upper edges to reduce the friction to a minimum and to prevent material from accumulating on them; The upper portions of the horizontal bars 13 are enlarged to form inner horizontal shoulders 13 and to provide inclined flanges 13", as clearly illustrated'in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings, and the said shoulders 13" are located above the rounded bosses 'or enlargements 14 and are spaced therefrom and cooperate therewith to form the ways for the sliding door or cut-off 5. The inclined flanges are recessed at their upper or inner faces to receive the lower edges of the front and rear walls of the hoppers 4 of the bin or compartment, and the said walls are secured to the flanges 13 by rivets or other suitable fastening devices. The enlargements at the upper portions of the bars 13 overhang the bosses or enlargements 14 and serve to shed the material and prevent the same from lodging on the said bosses or enlargements 14. Each door is preferably provided at its side edges with metal cleats 5, forming wear-plates and resting upon the enlargements or' bosses 14 to receive the wear incident to the sliding of the door or cut-off. The'sliding movement of the door or cut-off is affected by a horizontallyinner portion with screw-threads 15 which engage threads of a fixed nut 5 secured to and depending from the sliding door or cutoff at one end thereof. The transversely-disposed shaft 15, which is journaled in suitable bearing, has a pinion 15 keyed or otherwise secured to its outer end, and thispinion, which is provided with bevel-teeth, is arranged between and meshes with a pair of gear-wheels 16 and 16, loosely mounted on a longitudinal shaft 17 and adapted to be alternately coupled thereto to rotate the transverse shaft 15 for opening and closing the sliding door or cut-off 5. The gear-wheels 16 and 16, which are provided with hub extensions, are preferably mounted between a pair of arms 18 of a support 18, which is preferably in the form ofan approximately A-shaped standard, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. The gear-wheels 16 and 16' are provided at their inner opposite faces with centrally-arranged inwardly-tapered recesses 16 and 16, adapted to receive an oppositelytapered clutch-section 19 and forming smooth faces for engaging the same. The sliding clutch or clutch-section 19, which is keyed or otherwise secured to the longitudinal shafts 17, has a limited movement sufficient to carry it into and out of engagement with either of the gear-wheels 16 and 16", and it is also adapted to occupy an intermediate position, as illustrated in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings, to prevent either of the gear-wheels from being rotated. The sliding clutch-section is adapted to be actuated by the means hereinafter described to carry it into engagement with one of the gear-wheels, and when it is in engagement with one of the gear-wheels 16 and 16 the engaged gear-wheel communicates motion to the pinion and rotates the transverse shaft 15 and opens or closes the sliding door orcut-off, according to the direction of the rotation of the transverse shaft 15. The other gear-wheel is rotated by the pinion, and it simply revolves loosely on the shaft 17 without affecting the operation of the mechanism. hen the sliding clutch is shifted from the said engaged gear-wheel to the other gear-wheel, the latter is positively connected with and actuated by the shaft 17 and it communicates motion to the pinion and rotates the transverse shaft in the opposite direction from that in which it was previously rotated. By this construction the shaft 15 may be rotated in either direction to open and close the sliding cut-off. The sliding clutch-section, which has tapered ends, is provided with a-central annular groove 19, receiving a loop or yoke 20 of an uprightlever 20, fulcrumedbetween its ends on a hori- Zontal arm 18 of the support18 and adapted to be oscillated to slide the clutch-section from one gear-wheel to the other. The lower end of the shifting lever 20" is connected to the lower adjacent ends 21 and 21 of a pair of operating ropes or cables 21 and 21, extending from the said lever to a suitable point,

preferably the deck of the barge, and either of these flexible connections 21 and 21 may be pulled upon to actuate the sliding clutchsection.

In operating the sliding door or cut-ollone of the flexible connections extending from the shifting lever is pulled upon to throw the sliding clutch-section into engagement with one of the gear-wheels, and the said llexible connection is held taut to maintain the sliding clutch-section in engagement with such gear-wheel until the sliding door or cut-oil has reached the limit of its movement and the flexible connection is then released. W hen the flexible connection is released, the friction on the inclined engaged face of the sliding clutch-section will cause the latter to move to its intermediate position, and the engaged gear-wheel will be stopped by the meanshereinaftcr described for limiting the sliding movement of the door or cut-elf. \Vhen the door or cut-off has reached the limit of its movement, the increased friction incident to the stoppage of the transverse shaft 15 and the gear-wheels will be readily felt by the operator and will indicate when the flexible con nection is to be released. The flexible connections are arranged on suitable guide-pulleys 22 and 22, as indicated in Figs. 1,2, and 3 of the accompanying drawings; but any form of guides and any form of flexible connections may be employed for shifting the lever 20". The longitudinal shaft 17 is designed to be continuously rotated and may be connected by any suitable gearing with the engine or other motive power, and a series of sliding doors or cut-oil's may be operated independently of one another and may be successively opened and closed.

The walls at one side of the hoppers are provided with slots 19 to permit the passage of arms 20 of agitators 21, and the inner ends of the sliding doors or cut-oil's are provided with corresponding slots which register with the slots 19 and which form opening for the agitators. The agitators, which may be operated by any suitable means, are adapted to cause the coal or other material to flow downward, and they prevent a mass of coal or other material from lodging or arching the bin or compartment. The material is directed into the buckets of the conveyor by oppositely-inclined plates 23 and 24, terminating directly above the buckets and forming supports for longitudinal bars 25, which hold the buckets in the position shown in Fig. 1. The plate 28 at one side of the barge is provided with a slot or opening 26 to all'ord a passageway for the sliding door or cut-elf and for the mechanism for actuating the same, and the plate 24 at the opposite side of the barge is provided with slots or openings 27 to permit the passage of the arms of the agitators. The plate Qet has a guard 28 secured to its lower face and adapted to direct into the buckets any material escaping through the slots or openings'of the plate 24.

The movement of the sliding doors or cut-' ofl's in both forms of the invention is limited by means of a sliding link 210 and a pin 211 of a bracket 212. The link 210, which may be connected with theadjacent edge of the sliding door or cut-off 5 in any suitable manner, is disposed horizontally and is approximately Ushaped. preferably headed, projects horizontally from the bracket 212 and extends through the opening of the link 210. The bracket 212, which is provided with a'depending arm for supporting the projection or pin 211, consists of a bar or piece of metal provided at its inner end with a hook 213 for engaging the adjacent bottom flange of a channel-iron beam. The bracket is secured adjacent to its depending arm to a flange of abeam by means of a bolt 214: or other suitable fastening device; but any other form of bracket may be provided. The inward or closing movement of the sliding door or cut-off is limited by the bend or outer end of the link engaging the stop of the bracket 212, and the outward or opening movement of the sliding door or cutoff is limited by the depending arm of the bracket, which is arranged to be engaged by the said sliding door or cut-ofl. By this construction thethreaded shaft or screw 15*is prevented from moving the sliding door or cutoff too far, and the arm l-6, which is arranged at an inclination when the sliding door or cutoff is open or closed, will not operate to slidethe said door or cut-off beyond the position to which it is carried by the longitudinal rockshaft. I

The endless conveyer 6, which does not constitute any portion of the present invention, is provided at intervals with wheels 120, arranged between upper and lower longitudinal rails,121.and 122. a

The excess of coal or other material is scraped from the buckets by means of a trimmer 153, located at the front side of each depending-hopper and consisting of a plate, hinged at its upper edge and provided with laterally-extending arms 155, which are connected by coiled springs 155" with the adjacent upper'rails 121. The front wall of the conveyer is provided with an opening to permit the material to engage the trimmer.

It will be seen that the sliding doors or cutoffs are adapted to move freely in opening and closing, that they are positively actuated, and

that they are adapted to be operated inde; pendently of one another. It willalso be ap- 1 parent that when either of the flexible connections which extend from the shifting lever Thepin 211, which isis pulled upon the sliding clutch-section will being rotated accidentally by the sliding clutch-section.

What I claim is- 1. The combination of a bin or compartment provided With ways composed of bars provided at intervals with rounded lugs or enlargements, a sliding door or cut-01f arranged on the rounded lugs or enlargements, means for limiting the movement of the sliding door or cut-off, and actuating mechanism connected with and adapted to operate the sliding door or cut-off, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a bin or compartment I provided with ways provided with longitudinal shoulders and having rounded lugs or enlargements located beneath the shoulders, a sliding door or cut-ofl supported by the lugs "or enlargements, and actuating mechanism connected with and adapted to open and close the sliding door orwcut-ofl, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a binor compartment provided with a depending hopper, a conveyer located beneath the hopper, a sliding cut-off arranged at the bottom of the hopper, oppositely-inclined plates located beneath the hopper and provided with openings, operating mechanism located at one side of the bin or compartment and extending through the opening of one of the plates and connected with the cut-off, an agitator located at the opposite side of the hopper and extending 1 therethrough, saidagitator operating in the opening in the adjacent inclined plate, and a guard located above the conveyer and arranged in rear of the agitator, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a bin,a slidingcut-ofl, a horizontal link fixed to one end of the cut-off, astop receiving the link for limiting the movement of the cut-off, a nut carried by thecutoff, a threaded shaft engaging the nut andfrictional gearing for operating the shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

PEETE B. CLARKE. 

